Hattie Haunted
by aPerfectEnding
Summary: Within the story of Ella, there lies one just as difficult, just as cursed. One that is filled with the internal struggle between what is right and what is your only option. This story follows Hattie's life during the famous tale of Ella's.
1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

**Hey guys! I just got extremely bored one day and decided to start this...I suppose the idea of it is probably not so original, but every story's different, you know? Anyways, I hope you like it.. it might end up being more entertaining for me than for you ;). Thanks for reading!**

**EDIT: This story was written 2 years ago on my account "Eleven of Spades". I recently realized I never finished it, and I hate that I never finished so I felt like I had to. Of course, I couldn't remember my password to the account, and the e-mail address I used had been deleted so...I had to make a new account. So if you see this story posted twice, that's why. Now I'm continuing/ starting the rest!**

**Also, the story won't go along perfectly with the novel so just have fun with it. :)**

**The inevitable Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated in any way with Gail Carson Levine and her characters/writing in Ella Enchanted. I'm just a fan! **

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_**Prelude**_

Behind the story of Ella of Frell, there lies one that many do not know; one filled with just as much pain and internal struggle as Ella's. When Lucinda visited the infant Ella, she was the second to have been cursed with the fairy's presumed blessing.

A rather large woman rested in her bed, leaning her head against the sturdy oak posts. In her arms was an infant girl, her observant green eyes exploring the room. The woman's joyful eyes were admiring, not the child, but the golden bracelet that her husband had given her two days before. A small, winged woman with golden curls held high in a bun hovered in the corner. The scent of lilacs filled the room. Her slightly wrinkled face was smiling down upon the infant pensively.

"It would make me so pleased to bestow upon your daughter my personal blessing," the fairy cooed, stroking her wand.

"Oh, yes, a blessing! Oh, please do!" the woman giggled childishly.

The fairy thought for a brief moment. "They say that a mother and daughter's bond is one that should never be broken. One must always honor a mother because she knows best. Yes, this will be one of my best blessings yet!"

Clearing her throat and tipping her wand to the unsuspecting infant's brow, she uttered, "Hattie, you will always obey the wishes of your mother." With a smile, Lucinda looked up to the ceiling and vanished. The carefree infant fell asleep in her mother's arms, unaware of her unlucky twist of fate that would change life for her forever.

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Hattie's childhood happiness had been dampened by her mother's vain lust for wealth. Her younger sister, Olive, had been born free of Lucinda's blessings but with her mother's greed. Dame Olga did not have as much control over Olive as she did over Hattie, making Olive free to do as she pleased. Olive was not educated and had atrocious manners, but Hattie considered a lack of knowledge for freedom a worthy trade.

While Olive was playing with the town's children, eight year old Hattie was studying arithmetics and playing the harp. Her mother relied heavily on Hattie being the positive representation of their family, hoping to someday marry her into royalty. The pressure to be perfect weighed down heavily on young Hattie. She often found herself gazing solemnly through the window at Olive and her friends.

At the age of ten, Hattie's father died of pneumonia leaving all that he had to Olga. This only made Hattie's schedule more strenuous, as Olga became more desperate to marry Hattie into royalty.

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Twelve year old Hattie was enjoying one of her free hours outside. She closed her eyes, breathing in the crisp autumn air as sun rays danced along her cheeks. Her peace was interrupted when a clod of dirt bounced off of her nose. She looked to her left to see her best friend, Ginger, grinning at her.

"You will get the best seat at my wedding."

"Your wedding to..PETER?" Hattie giggled.

Ginger turned crimson and glanced over her shoulder. "Hattie, how dare you! He could hear!"

"Hattieeee!" They both looked up, startled, at the sound of Olga's voice. Frowning, Hattie dusted the dirt off of her dress and ran over to where her mother was standing.

"Do I have to finish my studies?"

"Don't be silly, dear." At this, Hattie smiled in relief. "It's far more important. I have been talking with Ginger's mother, and I really feel as if she intends on using that girl to compete with you for the prince's attention."

"What?" Hattie said in disbelief, looking over at her best friend of six years. "No, trust me, she wou-"

"I don't like it," Olga's husky voice interrupted, "Listen here, you must end this friendship as soon as we are done talking." Before Hattie could protest, she walked briskly inside. Hattie trudged back to the cherry tree where Ginger sat smiling. She hesitated, the words begging to be free. Her head began spinning, and she felt that if she waited any longer she would collapse.

"We can't be friends anymore!" She blurted. Her head stopped reeling, but she was still nauseous.

"Why?" Ginger asked incredulously.

"We just cannot, okay?" Hattie snapped, "I don't want to be friends. You are a bother."

Ginger stood up and shrieked, "You are the last person who will ever set foot into MY wedding. In fact, I hope you never marry! In fact, I hope you never find your true love!" She stomped away, leaving Hattie sobbing under the cherry tree._ If this is what it feels like to lose a friend, I never want to know what it is like to love._

Throughout the years, many people had entered her life only to be abruptly dismissed by her overbearing mother. Hattie had become cold and distant, feeling that it was better to guard yourself against friendship than deal with the pain of losing it. Around her heart she had put up strong walls that nobody could penetrate. She often read tales of the greatest loves but knew that she could never allow herself to become subject to such passion. The only person she would let herself be vulnerable to was her mother.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own the storyline/characters from Ella Enchanted.**

**The story will be in Hattie's POV from now on. Enjoy!**

_**Chapter 1**_

Small wisps of mouse-brown hair slid out from under the dark chestnut wig on my head. Olga grunted as she struggled with the escaped hairs, "If your hair wasn't so plain, we wouldn't need to even bother with this."

The wig, with its elegant curls, felt like a ten pound weight. "Is this really necessary? Who is going to notice the difference?" I asked, wincing as Olga continued to pull and tug.

"Wear it," The command made my hands freeze and my muscles contract, "I won't have any 16 year old of mine walking around as if we are anything less than royalty." _But we aren't_, I thought, mentally rolling my eyes. It was the day of the annual town ball. The whole town of Frell would gather together and socialize. Socializing was the least of it, though, since every mother harbored ulterior motives regarding their daughters and the royalty. I dreaded these balls, knowing that I'd be used as my mother's show toy while Olive was free to romp around freely. _That idiot. And why can't I breathe?_

I reached down to loosen my corset, but my hand was immediately smacked away by my mother. I stared into the mirror, and recoiled a little when I saw my cold, green eyes staring back at me. My face was glued into a cold gaze, and there was nothing I could do to change it. _So this is who I've become_. I looked over at the clock, and walked away, preparing for a long, dry night.

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"I'm goin' to smucker someone into dropping their coins," Olive drawled. She got the worst of both worlds, in my opinion: dim-witted and like my mother. The two traits made her crave money, but she was too stupid to know how to get it.

"Why don't you 'smucker' someone into dancing with you first," I said coolly, staring out the carriage window. I heard the sounds of laughter and music blending together as our carriage slowed to a halt in front of the dance hall. Olga struggled to step out of the carriage, pulling me out behind her. Olive immediately ran off, and I was swept away with Mother. Here it goes.

"Sir Normand!" Olga cried out. Her boisterous laugh was going to be the death of me. For the next hour, she babbled idly with an elderly duke and his family while constantly asking me to explain one of my many latest "accomplishments". I can hardly recall what I talked about, I had become very good at holding a conversation whilst thinking about something entirely different. These people were too boring to keep me engaged.

"Care to dance, madam?" I turned around stiffly to look at the young man who had interrupted me. He was tall with messy, brown hair. He couldn't have been more than three years my senior. He was nobody that I had ever met before.

"Thank you, but I'd rather not," I said curtly. I was beginning to turn back to the group when I froze at my mother's words.

"She would love to. Dance with him, Hattie." I hated her overly pleasant smile. With no choice, I gave my hand to the young man and followed him towards the floor.

"I'm Gavin of Alveda," He introduced himself, twirling me to the classical music. "It couldn't have been that entertaining to talk with the Duke of _Cherminster_. All he talks about are finances. I always wonder how one can be so amused by paper and coins." _Mother's favorite subject._

"Hattie. Of Frell," I replied, "And I was rather enjoying myself."

"Are you always that stone faced when you're amused?" He laughed, his blue eyes lighting up. Humor was one thing I didn't do. Ignoring him, I decided to get to the main point of the night.

"Have you seen Prince Charmont anywhere?" I started looking around, frantically. My mother would want me to dance with him, which is exactly why I needed to avoid him.

"Prince Char?" Char? "Last I saw of him, he was just arriving, but that was 30 minutes ago or so. Do you know him?"

"Not quite," I said quickly, my eyes scanning the room.

"Oh," He said, spinning me gently, "You are one of those women."

" ' Those women' what?" I snapped. I was tired of being forced to dance with this man and was not looking forward to the moment Mother spotted the Prince. The Prince was her ultimate prize, and I was her tool to winning him. Or so she hoped.

"My apologies, but I can't help but to be so humored by those women who seek out nothing but royalty. It's laughable! To think that, of the thousands there are, each one believes that they will be successful." _Who did he think he was? Arrogant, jealous fool._

"You're quite brave to be making such accusations."

"How can I not? You do not know the Prince, yet you are eagerly waiting to meet him. I'm sure you were not that eager to meet any other man here," He smirked.

"If I may be honest," I began. My patience was gone, "if it were up to me, you are right, I would not have had this dance. And to be honest, if one has the choice amongst thousands of men, why not aim for the best option?"

"And that is the best option?" His face had become stoic. Not angry, but politely disengaged.

"I'm sorry your pride has been hurt, but if you were in the Prince's situation, perhaps you wouldn't mind so much."

"My pride?" He laughed, looking almost amused. "Well, madam, I wish you the best of luck with your endeavors. Although I can promise you this much; the devious, cold-hearted ones rarely succeed. And you, madam, are of the worst sort." Then, he regained his composure and bowed politely, "Hattie of Frell.", and we parted before the music had finished.

I was headed for the beverages when I heard the pitter-patter of shoes shuffling towards my direction. _It's like an elephant trying to tiptoe_, I scoffed as I heard the familiar sound of my mother.

"What a pleasant warm-up that was," Olga laughed, panting after her twenty foot jog.

"Prince Charmont is on the dance floor. Now go wait your turn." My feet immediately began to drag me in his direction. "Act like the charming Hattie I have raised you to be. You are my pride and joy!" Her hands pushed me further in the direction I had already began walking. Standing in a line of girls was completely obnoxious, but my body was bound to my mother's command.

After the third song had ended, I stepped forward, offering my hand to the Prince.

"Good evening, madam," He smiled kindly. He had dark brown curls, and warm brown eyes. In addition to being royalty, he was genuinely pleasant.

"Hello, Prince Charmont," I smiled coyly, batting my eyelashes. _Mother would love this._

We began dancing, him making small talk while I laughed at the right times, acted intrigued at the right times, and acted flirtatious the entire time. He was a likable guy, if a bit forced (it's not like he dances with flirtatious girls all the time, right?). I hated that he was so like-able, but I hated the fact that it was forced even more. An acquaintanceship was bad enough, but an acquaintanceship out of duty was even worse.

"This dance has made my night rather tolerable, my Prince," I smiled, lifting my cerulean dress off the ground slightly. To my right, I saw the man I had danced with previously, Gavin of Alveda, dancing with a brunette nearby. He glanced over, and I averted my eyes back to Charmont and laughed softly._ Guess I'm proving him right._


End file.
